Is there something lurking in your Western Massachusetts home? Are you waking up with bites on your skin? Are you noticing tiny bugs crawling in your bed? A bed bug infestation can be mysterious. Today, we hope to take a little of the mystery out of dealing with these insects. Here's everything you need to know about bed bugs in Massachusetts.
I Have Bites, But Do I Have Bed Bugs?
When a bug bites your skin, it can take hours, or even days, for the wound to turn into a swollen bump with an itchy rash around it. This can make it difficult to tell that you're getting bites from an indoor pest, like bed bugs, or an outdoor pest, like mosquitoes. You can get bitten by bed bugs and wake up with no noticeable bites and you can get bitten by an outdoor bug and notice irritating bite wounds when you wake up. Fortunately, bed bug bites are usually easy to distinguish from the bites of other bugs.
- A bed bug usually feeds three times. If one bed bug has bitten you, the bites are likely to be close together and in a line or zig-zag.
- Bed bugs feed in the same area. If more than one bed bug has bitten you, the bites should look like a path across your skin.
- Bed bug bites are usually very rashy. The rash of bed bug bites is not likely to be isolated to the area around each wound. The wounds should look like they're in the mists of a large rash. But it is important to keep in mind that this is not always the case. It depends on how allergic you are to the saliva of bed bugs.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
If you see a bug crawling on your bed and it is daytime or there is a light on, you're probably not looking at a bed bug. These insects are sensitive to light. You're going to have to search for them. If you lift a mattress or look under a couch cushion and you see some bugs, here are a few visual characteristics to check.
Bed bugs are:
- 1 mm to 4.5 mm long
- Pale, tan, or rusty brown
- Oval-shaped
- Six-legged
DIY Bed Bug Control
There are many products and methods used to control bed bugs, but they often fall short. It is important to be aware of the pitfalls.
- Heat can be used to exterminate bed bugs, but space heaters won't do the job. They will just drive bed bugs into cold spots or into walls.
- Synthetic insecticides can be used to get rid of bed bugs, but many of these products are topical. They don't get deep enough to kill bed bugs and bed bugs avoid treated areas. Licensed professionals use strict protocols and multi-pronged treatments to achieve results with synthetic insecticides.
- Traps can catch bed bugs, but these insects have natural behavior patterns that are likely to prevent you from trapping every bug hiding in your home.
- Mattress encasements can trap bed bugs inside, but there could be more than one group of bed bugs in your home. There could be bugs in another piece of furniture, under the edge of your rug, in your wall outlet, or even inside your wall. Mattress encasements alone are not likely to stop bed bugs from biting you.
DIY bed bug control can leave you feeling frustrated and exhausted. It can also cost you a pretty penny. It isn't cheap to buy half a dozen space heaters. The best solution for bed bugs is to have a trained and experienced pest control technician apply the products and methods necessary to correct your infestation.
Are You In Western Massachusetts?
If so, you're in our service area. Reach out to us here at American Pest Solutions. Bed bugs are no match for our K-9 Inspectors and our highly-trained bed bug control specialists. Drop us a line and get relief from these tormenting pests.